Adam Dachis

Happiness isn't a calculation, but patterns do occur and we can learn from them. According to a study conducted by career site TheLadders, our salaries and job types greatly impact our happiness—just not how you might think.

More money doesn't create more happiness—we've seen that before—but TheLadders found that people making $240,000 per year reported feeling less happy than those making $40,000. Sales people reported the lowest levels of happiness year-round despite the approach of warmer weather boosting the spirits of workers with other types of careers. So what's the perfect combination for happiness?

According to a study focusing on 450,000 Americans and how they evaluate their happiness, a salary…
Read more Read more

[O]ur analysis shows that a city-dwelling techie, who works in the northeast during the spring months, and makes six figures (but under $200k) is the happiest employee in the country. Conversely, if you find yourself working a sales job in Sacramento, perhaps this research will persuade you to pack your bags and take a cross-country road trip this spring.

This information shouldn't come as too much of a shock—it's hard to hate life when you have a well-paying, enjoyable tech job and live in a great city when the weather is at its best. Although not definitive, if you're looking for a career change and want to feel more fulfilled, pursuing a career in technology in the northeast works as a happy starting point.